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<title>Shore Leave by The_Exile</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23091871">Shore Leave</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Exile/pseuds/The_Exile'>The_Exile</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Firefly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Girls' Night Out, Mention of Mental Health Issues, Possible Spoilers, Recovery, Shopping, insensitive attitudes, mention of overprotective siblings, mention of sex work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:16:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,085</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23091871</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Exile/pseuds/The_Exile</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The ship's budget is doing well, so the girls are given some extra money for a shopping spree during their down time between jobs. Inara has big plans for them, especially to get River some new clothes for once.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kaylee Frye &amp; Inara Serra &amp; River Tam &amp; Zoë Washburne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Wayback Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Shore Leave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/facethestrange/gifts">facethestrange</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Please try and get more into the spirit of things, okay? Just for one day. Some of us are really excited about this," Zoe motioned with her eyes towards Kaylee, who was already grinning as she gazed wide-eyed at every shop window.<br/>Both the stall in the dockside bazaar selling dubious second hand ship electronic parts and the frilly dress in the upmarket clothes store were the subject of just as much fascination. Inara, walking slightly ahead of them, appeared a lot more focused, gazing at her palm tablet that brought up catalogs for all the major stores in the district, selecting what she wanted and putting it through her budget calculator software before she even arrived at the shop. She did not seem at all concerned at the many appraising glances of different varieties she was receiving from passers by, although the others knew she was more than capable of defending herself and probably had at least one laser pistol up her tights should it come down to it. Zoe, by contrast, was watching over the party a lot more overtly, glaring at people whose gazes lingered too long, especially if they took an interest in the youngest of the women. She was also keeping an eye out for anything interesting in the shop windows although this wasn't really the district she wanted to browse in. She wanted more ammo and cleaning kits for her pistols, as well as some supplies Mal had asked her for and some less legal armaments that Jayne had whined at her until she promised to pick it up for him.</p><p>"River! We have to try this on you," exclaimed Kaylee, pointing at a smaller-sized dress in the window, shimmering in a silvery satin. It was displayed with a matching pair of high-heeled shoes and a handbag. The young woman regarded it indifferently over one shoulder before returning her glance to her own shoes.</p><p>"I can move better in my own clothes," she said abruptly.</p><p>"But you've been wearing those since last year," she said, "C'mon, this pay rise is Mal's treat! We won't get many shore leaves for a while! You'll look gorgeous!"</p><p>"It doesn't matter what you wear as long as you wear it right and move gracefully," she protested, "How am I supposed to dance in those heels?"</p><p>"She has a point," said Inara, "And that's not really all that good a deal. Those fabrics aren't high enough quality for that price. River, you've got an eye for a good and bad deal, don't you?"</p><p>"The power packs are faulty," she replied without even looking around, just as a street trader was about to push a supposedly cheap batch of laser rounds into Zoe's hands.</p><p>"This isn't the best part of town for any kind of civilised bargaining, anyway," said Inara, "Come on, I've finished locating everything I need. I'll show you where to get something beautiful you can dance in, River. And something fitted for you two that goes with your complexion. Don't worry, I'll pay for the excess out of my personal funds if need be, seeing as this is a special occasion. And yes, Zoe, I can find something with big hidden pockets."</p><p>The 'special occasion' was that, not only had they made quite a bit of money on their last job without running into too much legal or life-threatening danger, River's mental state had held up for record time, with no episodes for the space of three jobs now. She seemed to be genuinely improving. Of course, it was never good to rush things with a condition like hers but Mal had agreed with everyone that it would be therapeutic for her to spend more time doing ordinary things like going on a shopping spree with the other ladies. He hadn't even made any insensitive comments, only that he'd leave them behind if they managed to bankrupt the ship, and that if Simon didn't stop worrying about his sister and get back to work, Mal would get Jayne to punch him in the face again so they could get a moment's peace. For their Captain, that was fairly polite.</p><p>"Is this a Companion supply store?" asked River.</p><p>"Why, yes! It's an honour for non-Companions to be allowed inside - I've managed to pull enough favours to be permitted a tour for a small group of special guests, though."</p><p>"My brother doesn't like it when I look interested in Companion work," she pointed out.</p><p>"Well, your future isn't up to your brother, is it? And its a perfectly respectable line of work," she smiled, "You can do anything you put your mind to, though, so don't let anyone influence you, okay? We're just looking for nice clothes. I'll make sure not to select any that... mean anything in certain social situations." </p><p>"I'm interested in pretty Companion clothes too!" interjected Kaylee pointedly. </p><p>"We're not exactly dressed for the occasion, though - are you sure we'll be allowed inside a place as ritzy-looking as that?" asked Zoe, looking up at the grand structure before them, more like a traditional hotel or theatre than a shopping mall. It looked like it wasn’t overtly trying to advertise, that it was more the sort of place that the clientele already knew existed and were members of an exclusive club.</p><p>“We’ll be fine,” promised River. She gracefully slowed to a halt, like a dancer finishing one performance and pausing briefly before the next. Her head lifted, her eyes widening from their usual half-closed, meditative appearance, she straightened herself up and peered directly ahead at the guard on the door. In the space of a few seconds, she was transformed from her usual stray waif aura into a confident, if eccentrically dressed down, professional lady. She addressed the doorman as casually as if she had only just left and was returning, her use of Companion mannerisms and technical terms suddenly perfect. </p><p>“I’d forgotten she could do that,” Kaylee whistled in awe. </p><p>“I didn’t even know she could copy anyone,” said Zoe, “I thought it was just organised criminals.”</p><p>Inara shrugged, “She does watch me rather a lot.”</p><p>“She’s gonna be doing that to me and Kaylee, then?” asked the ship’s security officer. </p><p>“Oh, she already knows a crazy amount about how the ship works,” said Kaylee, looking up at Inara, “C’mon, then, let’s see you get us in too!”</p><p>Zoe looked behind her one last time, then followed them inside. It was turning out to be an interesting shore leave this time!</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><div class="children module" id="children">
  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
  <ul>
    <li>
        <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29195580">[Podfic] Shore Leave</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/averytree/pseuds/averytree">averytree</a>
    </li>
  </ul>
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